


Strawberry Flavored Liquor

by JenneeGrace



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 21:59:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5391872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenneeGrace/pseuds/JenneeGrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mirror of my longer short stories from SFL on FF.net and expanded from there. Actual warnings vary by chapter.<br/>Warning: Strawberry Flavored Liquor should only be imbibed in small doses or one my overdose on feels... SFL involves Flash Fiction pieces of Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket and their rather complicated relationship through the Hunger Games and after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Three Times

**Author's Note:**

> Decided as some of my better Hunger Games work and continued ideas for fics since Mockingjay 2 to move SFL over to AO3. Edited a few things (mostly typos I didn't catch the first time) and plan to add more as I write more.

The first time was when he was sixteen.

Oh sure, there had been plenty of bumps and bruises along the way to that point and nights when he had just laid in bed with his stomach churning because it was empty. Dustin had more often been the one to cry then while his older brother hugged him and tried to get him to sleep. Making empty promises that tomorrow would be better and just hum while Dustin would sing softly.

_Way down yonder, down in the meadow,_  
_there's a poor wee little lamby._  
_The bees and the butterflies pickin' at its eyes,_  
_the poor wee thing cried for her mammy._  
_Hush-a-bye, don't you cry._  
_Go to sleep my little baby._  
_When you wake, you'll have cake,  
_ _and all the pretty little horses._

Dustin had cried waiting for his name to be called when they were having twice the number of Tributes, and all the more when one of the four turned out to be his older brother. Haymitch had just looked him straight in the eye and told him it was his responsibility to try and take care of mom while he was gone. Even as confident as he felt there was still the lingering doubt that he was going to be able to manage to make it back home to them. The dreams of what he would do if he actually won were too much to consider as he took on the Arena. Losing Maysilee had hurt considering she might not have died if he hadn't just let her leave and suggested they stick together for a little longer. Then he might have also been dead right next to her… The Gamemakers hadn't expected him to win by using part of the Arena against his opponent, but it had worked. No one said you couldn't just be the smartest one out there. He had gone back to District 12 as much of a hero as they made of their Victors, and only the slight feeling that anything was even wrong. He had a new house and more than enough money to feed his little family.

He could even afford cake for breakfast if they wanted.

He was getting other ideas as well. Finally actually safe from the reapings and starvation that plagued most of his District gave one a lot of time to think about things like asking a girl to spend the rest of her life with you.

He had been home for a week when he'd gone to Fawn's house just to see her and walked in when there wasn't a response. The smell of roses was overpowering and one smell reminded him of the arena where the flowers could kill… Even just a little left you passed out and vulnerable to whoever happened to find you.

The next thing he remembered seeing was a pair of blue eyes as someone was wiping his brow. It took a moment to identify her as the Apothecary's daughter. He didn't tend to associate all that much with the merchant's kids and now he had skipped right over them on the social ladder. "I'm sorry. You must have just lost it seeing her like that."

"Who like what?" He muttered, trying to feebly knock her hand away.

She frowned at him and just kept dabbing at his face. "Fawn. Some sort of heart condition that made it just stop." She looked like she was holding something else back and just backed off suddenly. "Pom's also here to make sure you're okay. Just talking to Dad, but I'll tell her you're awake."

That was almost more worrisome since Pomeline Hayes was usually at her house working on her garden almost happily since they had gotten back from the Capitol. And why not? She had actually managed to get someone back alive out of the Games even if it was arguably the most belligerent of the four this year. He was also taking personal responsibility for the streaks of gray in her hair since he'd first seen her again after winning. She didn't ease his fears by running in and hugging him.

"I'm sorry, Haymitch. I'm so sorry…"

Fawn. Dustin. His mother… And he wasn't stupid enough to honestly believe anything they told him about it. Even his brother since he was old enough to walk knew how to do a coal burning stove so you didn't get poisoned by the gases and yet that was the excuse they were giving him. Even President Snow's condolences in writing had shown up faster than the news could have traveled. What was he going to do though? Punching the wall only got him bloody knuckles and worrying Pom all the more.

She found him with his hand bandaged up and a bottle clutched in it as he recounted how he had threatened the man at the Hobb with his knife to sell it to him. Pom ignored him trying to shrug her off and leave him alone with his misery and just hugged onto him and stroked his hair without a word even as the tears started falling.

It was the first time anyone could say they'd seen Haymitch Abernathy cry.

* * *

The second time was years later. If Haymitch ever truly mourned the loss of his Tributes or even his mentor passing away shortly after the 58th Games no one knew it. He also knew he was as much to blame for the previous four escorts leaving as the Hunger Games. It was a lot harder when you got to know the kids under your care and then watch them be wiped out within the first week… If they lasted that long.

Clearly Effie Trinket had been made of sterner stuff to endure not only his abuse but the constant disappointments year after year. Eventually it had turned more into a mutual tolerance of each other and almost turning into constant battle of wits when they weren't holding their breaths though the bloodbath every year. They'd sit up the first night if there was anyone still to watch until eventually Effie would start to inevitably doze off on the sofa. He'd leave her be even the few times her head had gone to rest on his shoulder and she'd wake up all flustered with herself for doing such a thing.

In terms of Escorts though and finding someone out of the Capitol he could actually tolerate, she was a keeper.

Even he was forgetful of how much she got under his skin when Katniss and Peeta were putting the berries in their mouths while she was going "oh no" over and over and he'd almost rested a hand on her shoulder. They had actually managed to get them both to this point and now, as far as she was concerned, they were going to still lose them both.

Haymitch had been closer to betting the hovercraft was in waiting now to do whatever it took to revive the last one with a heartbeat. At least up to the point they'd announced the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games.

Victor _ **s**_.

They were going to have to air out two of those houses now and he didn't shove Effie away when she excitedly hugged him and he had unexpectedly kissed her before leaving to see about the two the moment the hovercraft landed.

They never spoke of it. Heat of the moment and the thrill of actually surviving and maybe even the hope that he wouldn't have to Mentor another pair of kids for the Quell. Of all people he would be the one still expected to be there, but it might be a little easier with just advising. Unfortunately there he was a year later, playing mentor to a rather large alliance instead of just two kids. If his Escort knew there was something deeper going on then she never brought it up in the slightest even when she brought him coffee while he was scouting for Sponsors after the poisonous fog had managed to get one of his tributes from District 4 and he silently made the same three fingered sign she had first seen after Katniss had volunteered. Effie hadn't asked what it meant. She could guess.

A few days later he was claiming the need for fresh air shortly before midnight. Altogether that wouldn't have been odd if he hadn't stopped on his way out to see her. "Don't wait up."

She didn't even look up from her notepad, already working out her schedule for tomorrow. "Trust me, I have no intentions to wait for you to show back up here stumbling drunk and waking up in your own vomit."

Usually this would have led to a long argument back and forth about it being none of her business. Instead he just smiled the slightest. "Don't change, Princess. And make sure to take care of yourself."

He vanished into the night and just left her confused until the Peacekeepers showed up looking for him and pulled her out instead with "just a few questions."

Weeks later Haymitch was dealing with trying to keep the Mockingjay on her feet and attending another one of Coin's ridiculous meetings. "Reports keep coming in that they've been using whatever means possible to get information out of anyone associated with the Games. The remaining Victors, Stylists, and Escorts have largely been executed after deciding that they don't have anything to… Abernathy, what are you mumbling about when I'm trying to speak?"

"Effie… Effie Trinket, the Escort for Twelve."

Was it just his distance or was she rolling her eyes at him? "Even if she does still happen to be alive, with your Mockingjay they're not going to believe she doesn't know anything. Even so the last thing we need is some Capitol pet that is going to report back to some group on the inside looking to destroy us again."

"She is not some Capitol pet."

"She is an Escort, Abernathy."

Haymitch knew he should shut up right there and then, but he also wasn't about to back down from her now. "She's still a human being and isn't just going to turn around and be a spy on you because you were ever so gracious to spare her life."

"Even if she does manage through this war, we have no reason to keep her alive."

"She's done nothing to hinder you or the Revolution!" He got up from his chair and just glared down Coin. "And she's not going to do something as  **stupid**  as turning on us for the Capitol!"

Coin's voice was even as ever which only frustrated him all the more. "I suggest you settle down and sit… The only thing keeping you even here is your handle on the Mockingjay, and even that is questionable." He  _was_  still dealing with the scratches across his face

Haymitch was ready to yell at her all the more when there was a hand on his arm and he looked down to see Plutarch looking back at him and slowly settled back into his seat. "Madam President, I think what he's trying to say is that Ms. Trinket is in just as much danger from the Capitol as any of the others we know they've executed."

"She has been working as an Escort, Mr. Hav-"

"And I was a Gamemaker… Am I going to be given the firing squad?"

Coin backed down reluctantly. She won't make a point of making sure Effie was killed, but she wouldn't make any promises as to her rescue. At the moment it seemed like the best he can hope for out of the militant woman and slowly he's truly starting to hate her. He was having a hard enough time trying to go along with all of their rules in District 13 which was less than simple when his coping mechanism wasn't something that just involved a piece of rope or getting the chance to create weapons. Or at least that was what they were hoping Beetee would agree to do when he was better.

By the time they were actually planning a solid rescue mission instead of just talking about it, he was ready to volunteer. He was rejected, naturally… The key goal was getting Peeta after all and the last thing they needed was him trying to cause extra issues by trying to search for any more people than the Victors. He holds out hope and considered all the things he'd say if they ended up bringing her back.

By the end of the day he has one victor wounded and almost killed, another mentally unstable, and still no idea if Effie is even still alive. Everything about 13 seems all that more suffocating down here. He ends up getting into it again with Coin if only to push away this feeling of complete hopelessness before Plutarch pulled him away. Everyone seems glad that there is at least one person around there that can keep some sort of leash on the Victor and even Finnick is only so much help.

"It's not a crime to miss someone. No matter what Coin might have to say on the subject." Even after everything he's confessed in the last 24 hours, Finnick looked the best Haymitch had seen him since the Quell. He spends the next hour trying to distract him with knotting lessons even as Haymitch's hands keep shaking occasionally trying to loop the ends around right. Finnick doesn't make any comment about the tears that he notices in the dim lights. He leaves him eventually and just suggesting some sleep.

"Maybe after while." Even the former Career was amazed at Haymitch's still steady voice.

* * *

The third fell five years later. He was too old to really be doing this, and probably shouldn't despite reassurances that he'd be fine. That hadn't made the last year any easier when there didn't seem to be anything that didn't need his opinion. He didn't care what color she painted the rooms. And plenty of arguments over whether or not they were doing the right thing in the first place between both of their personalities and everything that had happened. It hadn't been planned, but there had been more than a few times he had said the whole thing was a mistake.

Well that was more than enough reason to send Effie into tears until he was apologizing and begging forgiveness. Considering that was a rarer sight, her anger didn't always last. There were still more than a few days he ended up sleeping on the sofa. Problem came when her dreams with even more vivid than before.

They made it work out. Life had never been meant to be simple when it came to Trinket and Abernathy.

He smiled when the doctor placed his newborn daughter in his arms even if she was crying while they tried to get him to relax. He had single-handedly managed to kill three Careers, help organize a revolution, and come close to losing everyone he cared about again and again. Yet holding a baby terrified him more than any of them. Sitting down only helped a little with his nervousness until he was finally handing her back to Effie.

"I don't think she likes me."

"No one likes you at first glance," Effie quipped back. The baby girl instantly calmed down immediately. "See, you just need to be calm. You call me wound up, but you look about ready to pop your top over there. Tell yourself something you'd tell me."

He took a slow breath and just let it out. A thought seemed to cross his mind as he just laughed a little. "Problem is, Princess, I don't wear a corset."

"Close enough. Just remember to mind her head and from there the rest is easy. You're capable of tenderness just fine." It took a few more tries, but Effie wasn't going to just give up and end up being the only one able to hold her without her screaming. By then Effie was about exhausted between all the effort of the last 24 hours and settled back for "just a tiny nap".

Their daughter was still nameless, but perfectly beautiful with the tiny wisps of dark hair and bright blue eyes. Maybe she was just about as tired as the rest of them to worry about Haymitch's doubts and nervousness. It  _was_  a little easier this way as she started to doze off still gripping onto his finger while Haymitch felt his eyes stinging with happy tears and just started humming.

_Hush-a-bye, don't you cry.  
_ _Go to sleep my little baby…_


	2. First Meetings

If you asked Haymitch the first time he had met Effie Trinket he would have just said that it was her first year as escort on the train. He'd noticed the change yet again at the Reaping, but had honestly gotten to the point where he didn't care all that much. She was just annoying and perky with the two kids they had and just acting like it was a grand adventure. The feeling of loathing between them was quickly mutual.

Effie, on the other hand, would cite a far earlier date. She had been nine when the second Quarter Quell had come on the airwaves of the Capitol and there were now twice as many people to try and pick as a favorite to win. Her original choice had been a rather attractive young man from Four who had ended up dying when the volcano exploded and wiped out a good amount of the career group. It made it a lot harder to pick someone else that she liked when she'd finally settled on the remaining male tribute from Twelve. He had managed to take out some of the higher ranked players in the Games and they were about ready to milk the partnership between him and the girl from Twelve for all it was worth even after she had ended up dying.

Her mother had been working as a Gamemaker her whole life which always made things more exciting and knowing she could talk it over with her and everything she'd been watching that day. Admittedly the ending had seemed a little weird, but it didn't matter because at least the next day in school she could rub it in Ophelia's nose that her Tribute had gotten an ax to the head. There was only more to celebrate when there was a small party held for the sponsors had ended in a minimal guest list which meant they were already trying to pull in whoever they could find involved in the Games to come so it would be worth even getting the room.

Effie was ecstatic to get the chance to go to one of the big Capitol parties and her mother had gotten her a pale pink dress with a skirt that would whirl out when she spun around. It still wasn't the sort of beautiful crowds she had been hoping for, but it also meant that the victor was less occupied with people. She just tugged on the sleeve of his shirt and waited politely. There was still plenty of food to look over and she'd been sneaky enough to go and grab a few little bags her mom used for make-up and had been sneaking cookies into it. If her mom didn't know about them, then she wouldn't be able to tell her when she could or couldn't eat them…

Her opening finally came after about an hour when most of the more important people had already been around. He was taller than she had originally expected, but then it was still the first time she had actually met someone who could really be considered "famous" and been on her television only a week and a half ago. Otherwise he looked better in person and she was quickly getting shy. "Hi…"

"Well evening, sweetheart. Isn't it a little bit past your bedtime for you to be here?" It had to about be the first person outside of his Mentor around here who he didn't automatically loathe. People in the Capitol were quick to show their true colors under all of that make-up but here was a little girl who still had to strain her neck a little in order to make eye contact with him. He did the nice thing and crouched down, almost hoping his pants would split so his stylist would have something new to complain about.

"No. Mommy brought me and I don't have bedtime tonight."

Pom had told him to play nice tonight and soon they would be heading back home again and he could forget about all of this for a few months. It was easier at the moment han it had been all night. "Well then  _you_  must have been my biggest sponsor not to have a bedtime."

Effie kicked her shoes against the floor and just shook her head and looked down at the floor since it was easier. She felt guilty. "No… I tried to put together all of my money for sweets and stuff, but mommy said she couldn't do that because it would look like she was favoriting you. Even thought it was MY money. So I asked if I could just make sandwiches for everyone, but apparently they wouldn't work either…"

"Well I managed, but the thought is appreciated."

He just smiled at her sweetly. Then in a few more days he was going to be allowed to go back home to his District… And she'd probably never get to see him again. Effie reached down into her purse and pulled out the small plastic bag. "For you. But you can't tell her." He grinned a little, taking them and putting them back in his pocket before taking her hand and giving a small kiss to the back of it.

"Care for a dance then, sweetheart?" She looked all flustered, but nodded furiously that for a moment he wondered if her head might not just pop off from the force.

He was uncoordinated with the fancy dances they had around here, but it didn't matter so much when your partner could twirl around without barely raising your arm and was mostly happy with that and going around in circles. At bedtime she was still humming with the songs as she went to bed.

Ten years later, perhaps the loathing was not so mutual.


	3. Make It Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haymitch passes on Katniss and Peeta's message to Effie in Catching Fire.

It had been a bold move after the interviews. The sort of thing that had the Capitol all abuzz even though most of the Victors knew it wasn't going to last. It was too hard to try and get through the thick skulls of some of the other districts that there was going to be enough problems without everyone actually trying to kill each other. Then what was the Hunger Games without a damned bloodbath in the Arena? He had barely been able to manage after that to hand off his bracelet to Finnick since Katniss was being as stubborn as ever when it came to getting allies. Hopefully she'd take the hint or Peeta would convince her.

He didn't even get the opportunity to see Effie again until she had managed to get back shortly before the countdown. "I've never been so rudely treated in my life." Of course she still had on that ridiculous gold wig, but a tiny part of him was glad to see her worst problem was being manhandled by a couple of Capitol officials telling her to go home.

"I'm sure you'll write them one hell of a complaint letter," he replied dryly.

"Well I hadn't considered going quite that far…"

"Got plenty of time to think about it." He leaned forward a little as the tubes started to lift the Tributes up and frowning at the momentary close-up of Katniss. It's not the determined look he was expecting, but rather horror over something. He started getting a sinking feeling that something had gone wrong and now his tribute was momentarily compromised while they started counting down. "Get it together, Sweetheart. Nothing you can do now except stay alive." Meanwhile he was analyzing everything as much as the tributes as the cameras went around figuring out what was going to be their best survival here. The Careers were still going to be dangerous to deal with, but they had a lot better shot at the Cornucopia this year with District 4 on their side. As soon as things settled down however he was going to look into Cinna's whereabouts. Of course he could always ask Effie... No. He wasn't going to get her involved even indirectly.

"Well, I can't leave Mags behind… She's one of the few people who actually likes me." The women of the Capitol must be swooning at the opportunity to watch Finnick back on their screens and his oh so charming love for the poor old woman who sacrificed herself for Crazy Cresta. Not that Haymitch has ever had any problem with Annie Cresta from the few times he had gotten the chance to meet her.

"That was his mentor, wasn't it?" Effie finally breaks the silence of the room. "Mags?" She seems to know the answer even if she did ask it out loud considering she doesn't pause for long. "I guess it's just one of those close connections… Then you got through yours all on your own."

It has to be the Quell… Haymitch is sure the whole subject of his Games hasn't been brought up so much in the past 24 years as it has since the kids pulled out that damned tape. Which also reminded him that he was still irritated with Effie for sending them that in the first place... "Sponsors were already scarce enough when you've got twice the number of kids to worry about dying before the money goes to any good use. Pom did her best by me, and in the end I lived. And somehow… I think these kids are going to make it."

"Which will be good since they're the only people who like  _you_ ," Effie half teases, tossing Finnick's words back at him.

"You know just for that I don't think I'm going to pass on their message for you… As I recall it was nothing complimentary… Boorish. Dull, King Midas' nightmare of a wig… They went on quite extensively."

"I could hear that from Katniss. Less so from Peeta since he seems to have something you both lack."

"Perfect  _Seam_ ly behavior?" She slowly shushed up enough for him to focus back on the games. "Actually it was closer to how wonderful you were for taking care of them and some other things I don't want to repeat."

"Tell!" There's something about her that almost gets child-like when he's teasing around keeping a secret from her. Then again it also made it all the more fun not to tell her and see how long it would take before she cracked. After all she hadn't been gaining all that many points with him here lately.

"Nothing all that memorable." Haymitch just shrugged, and was glad to see them running off into the trees and away from the possible bloodshed. "How you're like a mother to them. Or perhaps more like a grandmother just pushing food at them and suggesting they eat up. Plus you always have your hair all short and curly and probably not its natural color. While I'm more like the older brother who keeps them out of trouble even though they manage to get into more when I'm not looking." Effie just looked miffed, but getting her to admit her actual age has been something he had been trying to figure out for years.

Still no luck.

"That's not what they said, because both of them have far more manners in their pinkies than you do in your body."

Haymitch just smirked and got up to grab a glass and filled it half up from one of the bottles. Still sober enough to help but night was also coming. "That is because manners are just a way of putting up an act. It's all a great lie and you all play into it. You saw what happened last night when you toss people's childhood heroes back into a place on the pretense of "strongest of the strong" after promising that once you won you were safe… Finnick didn't have to worry about his name coming out of the ball for four years and yet all of a sudden he's one of a handful of people that can be chosen?" She just watched as he kept walking around, apparently unconcerned at the moment over his Tributes and anything going wrong for now. It gave him plenty of time for monologing…

"And the two people of District 12 who have caused the most trouble just happen to be the ones to get sent back? That is your Capitol manners for you… The great lie. So forgive me since you wanted the truth." He set down his drink and just stopped to look at her. "You are… The greastest escort ever to have been around the Games and the most appreciated even though it might not always be shown. Thank you for absolutely everything and I love you."

Effie just sat there in a moment of stunned silence. Had he really gotten that drunk that quickly? "Pardon?"

"It's what the kids really wanted to tell you and didn't get the chance last night. Special enough or should I try again?"

"No… No, it was perfect."


	4. Canary in a Coal Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *files this one under "reasons I put a violence warning on this fic"*

She had only ever had the slightest sign of light from the outside world and even that had an unnatural quality about it. Even when they had come up to the District 12 quarters in the Training Building to take in her and Haymitch it had been in the darkest part of the night. Of course he hadn't been there. They had still taken her and stripped her of everything that had made her look like one of the Capitol only to give her a long shirt to cover herself and tossed her in a filthy cell. At first she had just found the cleanest part and done everything to avoid touching the walls. She had just curled up as tightly as she could manage in order to sleep. Slowly she had given up on trying to avoid it and had accepted them as her only support in this hellhole.

The first time they had taken her in they had tried to play nice. Where were they? What could she tell them so they could just release her and be done with it? For whatever reason they didn't believe that she was entirely ignorant of everything they were suggesting. They would drop water on her and then use a long electrical stick meant for herding animals to shock her with it. Her voice went quickly hoarse from screaming and she was sure she had dulled her own hearing.

She had quickly lost track of time when you didn't have something to follow. A few days? A week? A month? She started hating all of them for leaving her here without as much as a good-bye note with anything she could use to get out of this. She was in too much pain most of the time to make it up, and they couldn't even be regular enough to help her count the time that had passed. Everything felt like it was dragging out when there was no one to talk to and only the occasional sounds of screaming.

It was scarier when the screams woke her up and she figured out they were her own.

And truthfully worse when she realized it was Peeta out there still. She could only hope Katniss and Haymitch were still out there and hadn't already been killed otherwise what good was she to them?

They'd torture her and then give bare essentials for medical care so they could do it all again for as long as possible without killing her. She didn't know anything and yet as much as she professed ignorance they still hadn't killed her. Most of the time she was wishing they would just to get it all over with if this was going to be her life now. Eat whatever bare rations they gave her and sit there wondering if any of them were still alive. Her anger and hatred of her former friends had turned against the Capitol and now she was just hopeful that the rebels were still out there and there was even a spark of hope that this might be over eventually.

This wasn't her Capitol… The shining city on a hill that was there to care for everyone and make sure the Districts were well protected from any threat. It had been getting dirtier every year with the blood of the children she was sent to bring back only to watch them die because everyone turned a blind-eye to the training that was going on in other Districts. Now it had just lost all its sparkle.

Now she didn't bother to look up when someone opened her door and waited for them to practically pick her up by her shirt and drag her down to the room where they would try again to get information out of her. Would they end up trying to make an example out of her? It didn't seem very good publicity to torture a citizen of the Capitol in front of all of Panem, but she had taken her side as far as they were concerned long before she'd taken it herself.

The person didn't go and just handle her like a piece of meat though. "Identify yourself." She finally looked up to see it wasn't the sparkling white Peacekeeper uniforms, but a more grey material and unfamiliar. Plus they should have known exactly who she was…

"Effie Trinket." The sound of her own voice horrified her. No more pep. Barely a shred of humanity when it sounded more like a toad. Something about her apparently amused the man about her though as he stepped back to call in a pair of healers who made sure she was safe to move up to the infirmary with so many others. It didn't bother her, but she also didn't argue when they moved her into one of the bedrooms by herself and gave her some drugs to help her sleep. She'd wake slightly, noticing doctors and other people coming to check on her occasionally, too exhausted and too glad to have a real bed to care. They could still kill her tomorrow as long as they allowed her to sleep for a few hours.

She could feel the electric prod still on her as she twisted around in the restraints attached to the chair. They would cut in everywhere and left her with burn marks and cuts that would have blood dripping off her fingertips. She kept thrashing having lost control over her muscles. Even waking up she found herself sitting up and being restrained. She immediately panicked, sure that someone had gotten into her room and was going to take her back to Snow. At least they hadn't covered her mouth yet. "HELP! SOMEBODY!"

"Stop screaming in my ear, Princess."

The hold around her loosened as she was trying to separate her dream from reality and looked back to make sure the face was matching the voice. There was enough lighting coming in from outside to make out the dark haired Mentor who was just peering back at her. "Haymitch…" She forgot herself for the moment and just wrapped her arms around him and glad for a familiar face. Two guards opened the door without knocking and suddenly had her feeling foolish. Here she was screaming for help and instead they walk in on her in bed with the man she was usually berating for his own lack of manners.

"Just a nightmare. She's fine."

"Right. We're nearby if there's anything else, Soldier Abernathy." Haymitch gave them some sort of half-hearted salute that he doesn't even seem sure of himself considering it consisted more of waving them off. If putting his arm around her at that point is more for convenience or because he actually is trying to comfort her doesn't seem all that important. Effie let loose with the tears the moment the door shut again. She was going to be okay. They weren't dead and the Capitol had fallen.

"It's just a nightmare… You're safe." With both arms around her and just holding her tightly there's not much doubt that he's actually trying to calm her down until she finally relaxed against him. She took a moment to just take him in, dirty shirt and all. It was about what she expected with the faint vapor of liquor against the slightly-wet-from-her-tears shirt and a slight note that he'd been attempting to hide a lack of bathing with aftershave in the not-so-distant past. "I'm sorry."

Maybe this was all a dream, because hearing Haymitch apologize was something notable enough for her diary. Effie pushed away a little, glad he didn't move from his position next to her. "I'm the one that probably just ruined your cleanest shirt."

There was a small chuckle and a sigh. "I should have brought you with that night. I knew the sort of things that were going to happen as soon as they figured out what was going on, but I never…"

"You didn't think they'd turn on me." She said it quietly and just reached up to wipe a few more tears off of her face. Right now she was too tired to even argue with him over waking up to the dirty Mentor in her bed and holding her. He was even being kind which seemed the bigger shock of the moment. It had her more on guard than if they'd gotten caught up in one of their usual verbal sparing matches. "Katniss? Peeta?"

He went on for the next hour recounting everything he could think of involving the two and the revolution. Katniss' stubbornness when it came to actually listening, Peeta being hijacked and being too blind to even see it before it was almost too late, losing people whose names would be familiar to her, and this new President Coin who was currently in charge. Occasionally he would trail off for a moment until she got him back on track and noticed the rough fingers sliding over her burns like he might smooth them away again. She just listened with minimal replies and didn't flinch away. "So once again I'm the one left to pace around while everyone else is getting nursed back to health because none of you could keep yourselves out of trouble."

"I'll try to do better in the future..." Though at the moment the future wasn't looking all the bright for her either. "Right now I think I need some more sleep." He moved to get back up and let her settle back into sleep. There was still the two kids that would probably still be asleep or at least Snow's liquor cabinet to raid. He hadn't managed to move far only to find a hand around his wrist. "Stay? For now at least?"

Haymitch nodded slowly and went back to wrapping her up protectively. If Coin showed up she was going to have plenty of reason to believe there was more going on than there was… Especially after all of the fighting the two of them had gotten into over making sure she was protected. Ignorant of all that, Effie just rested her head on his chest and was glad for something familiar. "You know I kind of prefer your hair like this without all the bright neon curls and ridiculousness."

"I never thought I'd be tired and not care enough to say this, but... Shut up, Abernathy."


	5. Fashion Statement

How had she managed to talk him into this?

_Come to the Capitol_ , she said…  _There will be plenty of alcohol_ , she said…

_Bullshit_ , he said…

Apparently Effie Trinket was a better liar than he gave her credit for even though there had been alcohol, but she had also gone and woken him up because they needed to do shopping for the Victory Tour. And of course she needed him to carry everything and make sure that he had fresh clothes since there wouldn't be a stylist around to make him all pretty unlike the kids. She was probably going to make him leave them all with her or somewhere they would go on the train so he couldn't ruin them just to spite her. He didn't see where he needed to be presentable when they weren't going to be focused on him.

Of course she was bubbling around having to talk with everyone she happened to know even the slightest while he was taking note of all of the little things that were now carrying Katniss' Mockingjay.

_Maysilee_ 's Mockingjay… Which was now apparently the height of Capitol fashion considering everything it was on, and the whole idea just seemed to amuse him. The star-crossed lovers of District 12 had managed to live from defying the Capitol and now everyone was wearing her symbol.

Irony at its finest.

It kept him amused long enough for her to gather little presents for all of the mayors of the Districts. He paused at a small piece of jewelry that had a miniature Mockingjay in a circle as the cover of the locket.

"I didn't know you were so interested in jewelry." Effie had apparently found him, and was far too happy and peppy for him at the moment. "Has Abernathy gone and found himself a special, special girl?"

He rolled his eyes at her and just looked back. "Actually thinking on the reason you dragged me here in the first place and thinking about that for Mayor Undersee's wife. He probably has enough little odds and ends around the house as it is, and it is District 12's Victors." She didn't need to know the full reason and Haymitch had no intention of telling her either.

"Well I believe we could do just that." She smiled brightly at him and he just returned it with a forced one of his own. "Now you're thinking on your feet."

She popped right into the store and bought it It might not have been something that Effie considered as more than a symbol of them finally winning these Games. But to Maysilee's twin it would probably mean something else and likely know it was a small thing to tell her that he hadn't forgotten.


End file.
